Camshaft phase adjustment assemblies are used to vary the phase angle relationship between a crankshaft and a camshaft. Camshaft phasers are generally assembled using a plurality of bolts to retain a locking cover to a sealing cover, with a stator and a rotor arranged between the locking cover and the sealing cover. These bolts must be strong enough to reliably hold together the components of the camshaft phaser during operation. Since failure of these bolts renders the camshaft phaser inoperable, it is extremely important to use high strength bolts, which can be expensive.
Camshaft phasers also include a locking assembly to control rotational locking of the rotor and the stator. The locking assembly includes a locking pin that slidably engages with a locking pin bore in a locking cover. Due to manufacturing tolerances and imprecise angular alignment, the locking pin can cause undesirable noise as it moves into engagement with the locking pin bore.
It would be desirable to provide an improved camshaft phaser that simultaneously reduces the load on the bolts as well as reduces or eliminates noise generated by the locking assembly due to inadequate locking clearance.